At just $40, the Roku Premiere is the most affordable 4K-capable media streamer out there, if you don't mind dealing with a line-of-sight infrared remote.

Streaming 4K media is becoming more and more affordable. Not only are 4K TVs now inexpensive and readily available, we're also seeing dedicated 4K media streamers hit the $50-and-under price range. The Roku Premiere is the least expensive 4K media streamer we've tested, at $39.99. It supports 4K HDR10 video and has all of the apps and services available on other Roku devices, making it a very appealing budget purchase. Just $10 more will get you the Premiere+, however, which comes with a wireless, microphone-equipped, TV-controlling remote, making it the better buy.

Design

Physically, the Roku Premiere is identical to the Roku Express. It's a small black plastic box measuring 0.7 by 3.4 by 1.4 inches (HWD), with a glossy black front hiding an infrared sensor. The back holds an HDMI port, a micro USB port for power with the included USB cable and wall adapter, and a pinhole reset button. It's small and very light, so Roku includes a strip of double-sided adhesive for keeping the Premiere flat in front of your TV. Make sure to use the tape, because without something to hold it down, the device is prone to getting tugged all over the place by the weight of the cables. A short HDMI cable is included, with the assumption that you'll be placing the Premiere close to your TV.

The included remote is a basic black wand with an infrared emitter, which requires line of sight with the Roku box in order to work properly. It's dominated by Roku's signature large purple direction pad, matched with a small purple fabric tag on the bottom with Roku's logo. Home and back buttons sit above the navigation pad, with playback buttons below. Dedicated service buttons for DirecTV Now, Hulu, Netflix, and Sling TV sit below the playback controls. There are no power or volume controls, and no microphone for using voice search. This is the most basic Roku remote, and advanced features like voice search and controlling your TV's volume require upgrading to the Premiere+.

Roku Channels

Roku has built up one of the biggest libraries of streaming services and apps, which means you'll find what you want to watch or listen to on the Premiere with few exceptions. Nearly all of the big names in streaming video are here, including Amazon Video, Google Play Movies & TV, Hulu, Netflix, Sling TV, and YouTube. There are also plenty of niche streaming services based on channels, genres, regions, and subjects, and several dozen apps for playing local media over network storage, though the Premiere doesn't have a USB port for playing directly off of drives. Roku also recently added a Featured Free section to its interface, offering suggestions of shows and movies you can watch from freely streaming services (often individual networks' and channels' apps, and Roku's own Roku Channel) without a subscription.

Streaming music selections are a bit less generous (and Google Play Music is strangely absent), but you still get Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora, SiriusXM, and Vevo. Spotify will soon return to Roku after a long-awaited absence thanks to a new app.

Roku has a better selection of streaming content than the Fire TV and other Amazon hubs, which don't play well with Google's streaming services. However, it continues to lag behind the Fire TV in smart features like voice assistance and smart home control. Roku's voice command functions are limited to searching for content, so you can't ask for general information or control smart home devices with your voice. Of course, that feature is moot on the standard Premiere unless you use the Roku app, since the remote doesn't have a microphone.

Streaming Performance

The Roku Premiere can stream video up to ultra high definition (UHD, or 4K) resolution, with support for high dynamic range (HDR) content. It supports HDR10 content, but not support Dolby Vision.

Despite being a budget media streamer, the Premiere is remarkably peppy. The menu feels responsive to control, and video streams up to 4K HDR load rapidly (assuming a good Wi-Fi network connection). Switching between services, videos, and the Roku menu is very fast, with no hint of lag, and apps tend to take only a few seconds to open.

The Most Affordable 4K

The Roku Premiere is the least expensive 4K media streamer we've seen yet. It's very appealing, but we recommend spending the extra $10 for the Walmart-exclusive Premiere+. It's the same media streamer, but with a voice remote that doesn't need direct line of sight so you can hide the streamer behind your TV instead of in front of it, and can control your TV's volume directly.

The upcoming 4K-capable Amazon Fire TV Stick looks like it might provide some stiff competition in the budget department, but if you want to stream 4K while spending as little as possible, the Roku Premiere is the way to go. If you want a much more feature-filled experience, meanwhile, the Roku Ultra has an advanced remote with a microphone and a headphone jack, as well as a USB port for directly playing local media. If you prefer Amazon, the Fire TV Cube offers hands-free Alexa voice control along with all of the features of the Fire TV 4K.

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About the Author

Will Greenwald has been covering consumer technology for a decade, and has served on the editorial staffs of CNET.com, Sound & Vision, and Maximum PC. His work and analysis has been seen in GamePro, Tested.com, Geek.com, and several other publications. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PC Labs as the in-house home entertainment expert... See Full Bio

Roku Premiere (2018)

Roku Premiere (2018)

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